Does Analogous Fat Transfer Lead to Sagging Facial Skin?

Q: Does Analogous Fat Transfer Lead to Sagging Facial Skin? Once the injected fat dissipates, will the skin then sag? It stands to reason that delicate facial skin can remain stretched out after the injections are reabsorbed. Typically, what percentage of the transferred fat will remain permanently?

A: Fat grafting and the deflated beachball of age.

Since fat grafting adds volume, it does not create saggy skin. Rather, the opposite is true, it adds volume and 'inflates' the saggy skin. We often remark that the aging face is like a deflated beach ball, but the youthful face is full and round like and inflated beach ball.

Essentially, the fat transfer procedure harvests fat from one part of the body where an excess exists and then places it in another part of the body where the additional bulk is used for cosmetic and aesthetic purposes. Fat transfer - which is also known as fat grafting, fat autografts, autologous fat transplantation, fat injecting or microlipoinjections is utilized in facial plastic surgery to restore lost volume to the face. The youthful face is round, full and heart shaped. The aged face becomes more gaunt, deflated, square shaped and bottom heavy.

Fat grafting achieves a more youthful volume and fullness to the face. Fat grafting may be performed alone or in conjunction with other more traditional rejuventative procedures such as a facelift.

Please call our office at 321.727.3223 to schedule your appointment and see if you are a candidate for one of these procedures.

Ross A. Clevens, MD

Melbourne Florida Facial Plastic Surgeon